Food and Dietary Supplement Safety and Regulation Conference
CONNECT WITH FDLI #foodsafety21 | @foodanddruglaw
March 24-25 | Virtual Event
Table of ContentsAGENDA
SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
ATTENDEE LIST
FDLI THANKS THE PLANNING COMMITTEE
Steve Armstrong, Haynes and Boone, LLP
Ricardo Carvajal, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, PC
Jackie Chan, Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker, LLP
Elizabeth Fawell, Hogan Lovells US LLP
Andrea Ferrenz,Campbell Soup Company
Neal Fortin, Michigan State University College of Law
Ryan Gooley, Stericycle
Elizabeth (Beth) Johnson, Food Directions LLC
Jensen Jose, Center for Science in the Public Interest
Heili Kim, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Sarah Roller, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP
FDLI THANKS OUR SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSOR BRONZE SPONSOR
Food and Dietary Supplement Safety and Regulation Conference March 24-25 | Virtual Event
Wednesday, March 24 11:20 – 11:40 AM Technology and Connection Support Session
First virtual conference? Unsure about technology? Join FDLI staff for this informal, open session to make sure your audio and technology are prepared for the day’s sessions and to answer your questions about the virtual platform.
11:45 AM–12:00 PM FDLI Welcome
Amy Comstock Rick, President & CEO, FDLI Steven Armstrong, Senior Regulatory Advisor, Haynes and Boone LLP and Chair, FDLI Food and Dietary Supplement Conference Planning Committee
12:00–12:45 PM Keynote Address Sharon Lindan Mayl, Senior Advisor for Policy, Office of Food Policy and Response, United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
12:50–1:50 PM Evaluating the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Proposed Rule for Food
Traceability As part of the New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint, and as required by FSMA, FDA has proposed a new rule establishing additional traceability recordkeeping requirements for persons who manufacture, process, pack, or hold certain foods. Panelists will review the components of the proposed rule, then discuss its potential benefits, including improved food safety and outbreak response, against the additional costs it would impose on parties in the supply chain. Laurie Beyranevand, Director and Professor of Law, Center for Agriculture and Food Systems, Vermont Law School Rebecca Goldberg, Associate Chief Counsel, FDA Office of the Chief Counsel Bryan Hitchcock, Senior Director, Food Chain & Global Food Traceability Center, The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Moderated by Allen Sayler, Senior Director of Food Consulting Services, EAS Consulting Group
1:50–2:10 PM Break 2:10–2:55 PM Produce Safety: New Approaches to a Persistent Public Health Problem
Contaminated produce remains one of the leading causes of recalls in the United States, and recently FDA has increased its efforts to combat this problem. This discussion will cover year-over-year trends in produce-related
Food and Dietary Supplement Safety and Regulation Conference For the Food and Dietary Supplement Industries March 24-25, 2021
recalls, the impact of FSMA implementation on produce safety, FDA’s recent push to react to and post information on outbreaks more quickly, and remaining challenges to reducing the amount of contaminated produce that reaches consumers. William (Bill) Marler, Managing Partner, Marler Clark Jennifer McEntire, Senior Vice President, Food Safety and Technology, United Fresh Produce Association Moderated by Steven Armstrong, Senior Regulatory Advisor, Haynes and Boone LLP and Chair, 2021 Food and Dietary Supplement Safety and Regulation Conference Planning Committee
3:00–3:45 PM Update on Allergen Labeling and Recalls
Allergen labeling continues to be a hotly debated topic, and undeclared allergens continue to be a frequent cause of both food and dietary supplement recalls. Attendees will hear the latest updates on efforts to include sesame in mandatory allergen labeling, standardize label warning language, and modernize the allergen listing process, as well as recent examples of and trends in allergen-related recalls. Evangelia Pelonis, Partner, Keller & Heckman LLP Anita Roach, Vice President of Health Innovation Strategies & Corporate Ventures, Food Allergy and Research Education (FARE) Moderated by Neal D. Fortin, Director, Institute for Food Laws and Regulations, Michigan State University and Professor, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University College of Law
3:45–4:00 PM Break 4:00–5:00 PM Examining FDA’s Increased Use of Warning Letters for Food and Dietary
Supplements Warning letters remain a vital tool for FDA, and their many uses span enforcing FSMA compliance to protecting consumers from impermissible claims of COVID-19 prevention and treatment. Learn from industry experts how FDA has utilized warning letters during the pandemic, including increased specificity in Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP)-related warning letters and issuing inspection violation citations based on record reviews alone and without conducting in-person inspections. Panelists will also make predictions on whether these trends are likely to continue post-pandemic and future FDA enforcement priorities. Andrea Ferrenz, Food Law Counsel, Campbell Soup Company Susan J. Hewlings, Director of Scientific Affairs, Nutrasource Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Services John F. Johnson, Partner, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP Moderated by Elizabeth Barr Fawell, Partner, Hogan Lovells
Thursday, March 25 11:20 – 11:40 AM Technology and Connection Support Session
First virtual conference? Unsure about technology? Join FDLI staff for this informal, open session to make sure your audio and technology are prepared for the day’s sessions and to answer your questions about the virtual platform.
11:50 AM–12:00 PM FDLI Welcome
Steven Leslie, Assistant Director, Educational Programs, FDLI
12:00–12:45 PM Featured Presentation and Q&A
Vasilios (Bill) Frankos, Senior Vice President of Global Product Science, Safety, and Compliance, Herbalife International of America, Inc.
12:50–1:50 PM Dietary Supplements: Regulatory Challenges and Litigation Risks
Already a growing product category, the pandemic has further accelerated consumer interest in dietary supplements. This panel will feature perspectives on the most pressing issues in the dietary supplement space, including what differentiates dietary supplements from drugs and foods, nuances in the new dietary ingredient notification process, regulatory risks, and recent trends in both class action and Prop 65 litigation. Megan Olsen, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Council for Responsible Nutrition Judith M. Praitis, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Jack Wenik, Member, Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. Moderated by Robert Durkin, Of Counsel, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
1:50–2:10 PM Break 2:10–2:55 PM Navigating the Patchwork of State Hemp and CBD Regulation
In the absence of additional federal guidance, there remains great deal of variation among state regulations for products with hemp-derived CBD. Panelists will survey the current “state” of these laws and requirements, including variations in testing and lab accreditation requirements, and predict what federal CBD regulation and enforcement will look like under the Biden administration and with a new FDA Commissioner, including whether Congress will step in and pass new legislation on hemp-derived CBD products. Daniel R. Dwyer, Partner, Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker, LLP Daniel McGee, Former Chief Legal Officer, Solari Hemp Moderated by Sam Dietle, Senior Associate, Hogan Lovells LLP
3:00–3:55 PM Considerations for Using Third-Party Certification for Ensuring Product Safety From Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) compliance to supplier inspections to ingredient and finished product testing, food and dietary supplement
manufacturers rely heavily on third party certifiers to ensure their finished products are safe. This discussion will address how industry reliance on third parties has changed after the high-profile recalls from 2009-2011 (Peanut Corporation of America, Quality Egg, and Jensen Farms). Speakers will also discuss recent issues with dietary ingredient contamination, and the extent that domestic and international companies can and should rely on third parties when it comes to product safety assurance. Tara Couch, Senior Director, EAS Consulting Group Karil L. Kochenderfer, Principal, LINKAGES Moderated by Jacqueline J. Chan, Partner, Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker, LLP
4:00–4:55 PM Bioengineering, Cell-Cultured Products, and the Challenge of Regulating at the
Same Pace that Technology Advances Technology tends to outpace regulation in all product categories, and food and dietary supplements are no exception. Topics will include Federal Bioengineered Disclosure Standard definitions in light of evolving gene-editing technology, pending challenges faced by FDA and USDA for regulating cell-cultured meat and seafood, and big-picture suggestions for how regulatory bodies can keep pace with rapidly evolving technology. Gregory Jaffe, Director of the Project on Biotechnology, Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Kelly G. Laudon, Of Counsel, Jones Day Larisa Rudenko, Research Affiliate, Program of Emerging Technologies (PoET), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Co-Founder, Biopolicy Solutions, LLC Moderated by Jessica P. O’Connell, Partner, Covington & Burling LLP
4:55 – 5:00 PM Closing Remarks and Adjournment
Food and Dietary Supplement Safety and Regulation Conference
March 24-25, 2021 | Live Virtual Event
Speaker Biographies
STEVEN ARMSTRONG is an independent consultant specializing in food
law and regulation. He has over 20 years of experience counseling leading
consumer products companies on regulatory and marketing matters and
is currently serving as Senior Regulatory Advisor for Haynes & Boone, LLP.
Mr. Armstrong served as the Chief Food Law Counsel at Campbell Soup
Company for 10 years before retiring in 2016. At Campbell, he advised
businesses throughout the company on food safety, food policy, labeling
and regulatory compliance, including matters involving FDA, USDA, and
food agencies around the world. He led the company’s crisis management
team. Prior to Campbell, Mr. Armstrong served as a regulatory and
marketing counsel for Unilever US and Colgate-Palmolive Company. Before attending law school, Mr.
Armstrong worked as a reporter and editor at several newspapers, including the Miami Herald. He earned
his JD degree from Columbia University and did his undergraduate work at Harvard. From 2014-17, Mr.
Armstrong served on the Board of Directors of the Food and Drug Law Institute. He is a recipient of FDLI’s
Distinguished Service Award and frequently speaks and writes on food law and policy issues.
LAURIE BEYRANEVAND is the Director of the Center for Agriculture and Food
Systems and a Professor of Law at Vermont Law School. Laurie has published
scholarly articles and book chapters that focus on the connections between
human health and the food system. Her work has been cited in petitions to
major federal agencies, books, blogs, and articles, and she has been quoted
in Politico, Mother Jones, the Christian Science Monitor, Climate Wire, the
Washington Post, Food Tank, and E & E Greenwire, among others. Laurie is
an appointed member of the Food and Drug Law Institute and Georgetown
Law School’s Food and Drug Law Journal Editorial Advisory Board, a founding
member of the Academy of Food Law and Policy, and the former Chair of the
Agriculture and Food Law Section of the American Association of Law Schools. She is admitted to the New
York and Vermont State Bars, as well as the US District Court, District of Vermont.
JACQUELINE J. CHAN is a partner at Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker LLP. She
advises all sizes of food companies from start-ups to global entities
throughout the product lifecycle, including labeling, advertising/promotion,
enforcement risk assessment, post-marketing obligations, and regulatory
strategy and compliance. She serves as an active member of her clients’
teams, working to find solutions to meet both legal and business goals. Using
her knowledge of today’s litigation trends, Ms. Chan helps develop new
products, label claims, promotional campaigns, and advertising materials. She
is currently keeping an eye on issues related to plant-based foods, standards
of identity, sustainability/environmental claims, and challenges to ingredient
claims.
TARA LIN COUCH, Senior Director for Dietary Supplement and Tobacco
Services at EAS Consulting Group, is an analytical/organic chemist with
exceptional analytical abilities and more than 30 years of diverse laboratory
and regulatory experience in academic, field, contract, and manufacturing
environments. She is a sought-after expert on issues pertaining to quality
control (QC) in both pharmaceutical and dietary supplement manufacturing,
as well as the tobacco industry. As a consultant, Dr. Couch assists with the
development, improvement and implementation of quality systems that are
scientifically sound, efficient, practical, and compliant with FDA regulations.
She also performs mock FDA inspections, gap analyses, and contractor and
laboratory audits. Dr. Couch provides GMP (good manufacturing practice) and laboratory trainings via
seminar, webinar and on-site presentations.
SAM DIETLE is a senior associate at Hogan Lovells US LLP where she
provides practical legal solutions and regulatory guidance to all
segments of the food and dietary supplement industry. Her practice is
primarily focused on regulatory considerations for novel ingredients,
labeling and advertising issues, and claims substantiation. Since the
passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, the focus of Sam’s work has been helping
companies navigate the complex federal and state regulatory schemes
for hemp-derived ingredients, including cannabidiol.
ROBERT DURKIN is of counsel at Arnall Golden Gregory LLP. As a former acting
Director and Deputy Director of the Office of Dietary Supplement Programs
(ODSP) in the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), he
brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to his legal practice. In working with
AGG clients, Bob will draw from the extensive experience he gained at the FDA
where he was responsible for performing policy analysis and evaluations related
to all aspects of the agency’s dietary supplement programs while also providing
skillful advice on compliance and enforcement issues (such as Warning Letters,
seizures, injunctions, import detention/refusal, etc.). During this time, he was
active in a variety of agency working groups, including: Agency-wide Marijuana
Working Group, Agency-wide CBD Policy Working Group, and the Agency-wide
Investigational New Drug (IND) Policy Working Group. While helping to lead ODSP, Bob also successfully
led the Office through multiple GAO investigations. Just prior to joining ODSP, Bob was the acting Director
of CFSAN’s Food Defense Staff. In this role, Bob led a dedicated group of professionals whose duty it was
to determine the best regulatory strategies to help protect our nation’s food supply from intentional
contamination. The Food Defense staff’s work includes the implantation of the Food Safety and
Modernization Act’s Rule for Mitigation Strategies to Protect Food against Intentional Adulteration and
determining the best ways to educate, and then regulate, industry relative to the Rule. Bob has also served
in both the Commissioner’s Office and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). While in the
Commissioner’s Office, Bob managed a staff of Emergency Response Coordinators whose focus was on
coordinating an over-all Agency approach to mitigate and respond to urgent health concerns related to
FDA regulated commodities. While at CDER, Bob worked in the areas of health fraud, over the counter
drugs, and pharmacy compounding.
DANIEL R. DWYER is a partner with Kleinfeld, Kaplan and Becker, LLP.
His practice focuses primarily on representing dietary supplement,
food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, medical device, and consumer
products companies on a variety of matters involving regulatory and
advertising law. Mr. Dwyer has substantial expertise in Cannabis and
hemp regulation, as well as pharmaceutical and controlled substance
law, labeling and advertising claim substantiation, sales and marketing
practices, good manufacturing practices, FDA inspections, recalls,
corporate compliance programs and related matters. He regularly
advises clients on developing strategies for compliance in complex legal
environments.
ELIZABETH BARR FAWELL is a partner at Hogan Lovells LLP. Successfully
navigating the detailed and often complex regulatory issues confronting
the food industry, she helps companies understand both the rules and
various risks involved to make the most informed and strategic
decisions. Elizabeth has worked with every segment of the food
industry, including manufacturers, distributors, retailers, restaurants,
and food service operators, as well as their trade associations. Her work
on behalf of food industry clients with the Food Safety Modernization
Act (FSMA) since its inception and her understanding of Hazard Analysis
Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems provides her with the experience
and perspective needed to counsel clients on how to comply with new
requirements under the law. Elizabeth is also a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) and has
completed the FSPCA PCQI training. Elizabeth provides real-time advice during factory inspections, helps
clients prepare 483 responses, and drafts inspection manuals. She assists clients in lawfully and creatively
promoting their products, such as the development of labels, claims, and website and promotional
campaigns. Elizabeth also supports clients in advertising disputes and with responses to FTC and Attorney
General investigations. She also counsels clients on compliance with Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) safety standards, testing and certification requirements, and reporting obligations.
ANDREA FERRENZ is Food Law Counsel at Campbell Soup Company. Andrea
began her career working in labs, first as a research assistant with the
Institute for Genomic Research and then with Children’s National Medical
Center in Washington DC. Her undergraduate degree is in Biology from
University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, Virginia. After attending law
school at George Washington University, she was an attorney for many years
with Emord & Associates PC in the Washington, DC area, representing clients
regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (and related agencies).
After leaving private practice, Andrea was Legal Counsel with Celltex
Therapeutics, a ground-breaking stem cell company in Houston, TX. Next,
Andrea was Regulatory Director, Associate General Counsel with Innophos, Inc, a manufacturing company
supplying ingredients to the food, dietary supplement, pharmaceutical and technical industries around
the globe. Currently Andrea is Food Law Counsel with Campbell Soup Company working primarily with its
Quality, Regulatory, R&D, and Marketing teams on some of the most iconic brands in the United States.
NEAL D. FORTIN is the Director of the Institute for Food Laws & Regulations at
Michigan State University, and Professor in the Department of Food Science
and Human Nutrition. Mr. Fortin teaches the courses United States Food Law,
International Food Law, Codex Alimentarius, and Regulatory Leadership. He is
the author of Food Regulation: Law, Science, Policy, and Practice, 2nd ed. Neal
Fortin was the 2009 recipient of a Michigan State University Distinguished
Faculty Award for his teaching. He is past President of the North Central
Association of Food & Drug Officials. He served as a Commissioner for the
Michigan Local Public Health Accreditation Program, the Advisory Council of
the Michigan Community Health Leadership Institute, and the NSF Council of
Public Health Consultants. He served on the Dietary Supplement Committee of the Food and Drug Law
Institute. He has been a curriculum advisor to the International Food Protection Training Institute and the
University of Catalonia. He is an emeritus member of the Association of Food and Drug Officials, the Food
and Drug Law Institute, a professional member of the Institute of Food Technologists, and the State Bar
of Michigan.
VASILIOS (BILL) FRANKOS serves as Senior Corporate Advisor Product
Science, Safety & Compliance. He is responsible for assuring that all products
sold by Herbalife are safe, meet regulatory safety requirements and that all
claims are scientifically supportable. He assures Herbalife’s product
development activities support the company’s product portfolio strategy. He
retired from the US Food and Drug Administration in 2010, where he served
as the Director, Division of Dietary Supplements programs. He was the lead
scientist for dietary supplements for the FDA and was responsible for the full
implementation of the DSHEA Act of 1994. While at FDA he also served as
Special Assistant for Dietary Supplement Science Review, Staff Science
Advisor in the Office of the Commissioner, and as a Senior Toxicologist in the Center for Food Safety and
Applied Nutrition. Before joining the FDA, Dr. Frankos was a principal consultant with ENVIRON Corp. for
over 18 years. He holds a PhD in pharmacology and toxicology from University of Maryland Pharmacy
School; an MS in molecular biology and a BA in biology from University of Maryland.
REBECCA GOLDBERG is an attorney in FDA’s Office of the Chief
Counsel. Since joining the office in 2009, Rebecca has advised the
agency on a wide range of matters relating to foods and dietary
supplements. Among her other responsibilities, Rebecca has been the
lead attorney handling FSMA § 204 since the passage of the Food
Safety Modernization Act in 2011. As a member of FDA’s internal
FSMA 204 workgroup, Rebecca has been involved in all aspects of the
Food Traceability Proposed Rule and in the continued rulemaking
process. Prior to joining FDA, Rebecca served as a law clerk to the
Hon. Robert D. Sack of the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
She received her AB in Literature from Harvard University, and her JD from Harvard Law School.
SUSAN J. HEWLINGS is the Director of Scientific Affairs at Nutrasource
Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Services. She received her PhD in nutrition, her
BS in nutrition and her MS in exercise physiology from Florida State University. She
is a registered dietitian, a full- time professor at Central Michigan University, and
director of scientific affairs for Nutrasource. She is Co-Founder of Substantiation
Sciences LLC where she provides science and nutrition consulting services and
medical writing for the dietary supplement, CBD, cannabis, and medical industries.
She was formerly an assistant professor at The University of Central Florida College
of Medicine, where she was responsible for integrating nutrition into a new
medical school curriculum. Susan completed a fellowship studying protein and fat
metabolism at The University of Texas Medical Branch/Shriners Burn Institute. She is the author of
Nutrition: Real People, Real Choices and has published numerous book chapters, articles in peer- reviewed
journals on dietary supplements, CBD, cannabis, pharmacokinetics, and nutrition. Throughout her career,
she has served on several scientific and advisory boards in academia and industry. She recently completed
a graduate certificate in cannabis science from The University of Vermont College of Medicine. Dr.
Hewlings is Founder and Director of The ARF Shack 501c3 non-profit animal rescue.
BRYAN HITCHCOCK is Senior Director of Food Chain and Executive
Director at the Food Traceability Center in the Institute of Food
Technologists (IFT). Mr. Hitchcock brings extensive product and process
development expertise in the food and beverage industry. This includes
experience with emerging and mature brands across the supply chain
spanning new product and technology innovation, ingredients, food
processing, quality and food safety, and manufacturing. Mr. Hitchcock
spent much of his career at PepsiCo in roles including Principal Engineer
R&D, Director, R&D (Global Beverages Discover & Applications), and
most recently as the Senior Director, North America Nutrition R&D
(Fruits & Vegetables). Prior to PepsiCo he was a product developer with Procter and Gamble. He possesses
a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University.
GREGORY JAFFE is the Biotechnology Project Director for the Center for Science
in the Public Interest, a consumer organization located in the US. Mr. Jaffe came
to CSPI in 2001 after a distinguished career in government service as a Trial
Attorney at the US Department of Justice and as Senior Counsel with the US
EPA. He is a recognized international expert on biotechnology and biosafety and
has worked on biosafety issues in numerous countries in Asia and Africa.
Gregory Jaffe earned his BA with High Honors from Wesleyan University in
Biology and Government and a law degree from Harvard Law School.
JOHN F. JOHNSON is counsel at Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP where he works
with companies to develop and implement solutions for complying with the
laws administered by Food and Drug Administration (FDA), US Department
of Agriculture (USDA), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and other
federal and state agencies. He works with manufacturers, distributors, brand
owners, importers and retailers of food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics,
and animal products to satisfy their regulatory obligations. John represents
companies before FDA and other government agencies subject to
inspections or compliance activities, including a judicial action, Warning
Letter, Untitled Letter, regulatory meeting, administrative detention, import
detention and import alert, and FDA Form 483. Additionally, he helps
companies evaluate complaints to determine if a recall is necessary, and if so, he works with clients to
manage the product recall to remove the product from market. John counsels clients throughout the
product life cycle, including product development and specifications, marketing and labeling, and
manufacturing, importation, distribution, and sales. This includes determining the possible registrations,
permits, licenses and pre-market submissions. Also, he works with clients to create, implement, and
maintain internal programs to help foster smooth compliance.
KARIL L. KOCHENDERFER advises clients in the fast-moving food,
consumer products and retail sectors through LINKAGES, her global
trade, industry, and government affairs firm. For 30 years, she has had
the privilege of representing the food, beverage and retail sector
before Congress, FDA, Wall Street, and the media nationally as well as
before the European Commission, the UN, WHO, WTO, Codex and over
three dozen foreign governments internationally. During this time, she
has worked on some of the most critical issues facing the industry
ranging from biotechnology and blockchain, to food safety, CBD,
sustainability, regulatory trade barriers and now digital trade. Prior to
establishing her consultancy, Kochenderfer worked at the Grocery Manufacturers of America and PhRMA.
Today, she is privileged today to include the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), GS1 Global Supply-chain
Standards, Mars, Anheuser-Busch, Procter & Gamble and Estee Lauder among her many clients.
Kochenderfer has served on four US Government advisory committees – for trade, supply-chain efficiency,
regulatory trade barriers and biotechnology -- and is a graduate of The University of Michigan.
KELLY G. LAUDON is an attorney in the Minneapolis office of Jones Day and is a
trusted advisor and skilled litigator representing clients in the food and
beverage industry. Kelly has over 12 years of litigation experience in complex
commercial and consumer disputes, including claims for food product
mislabeling, unfair trade practices, false advertising, food contamination,
breach of contract, breach of warranty, and indemnification in federal and state
court and arbitration. She also counsels companies on risk mitigation and
compliance with state food and beverage labeling and product safety
requirements. Kelly is President of the Minnesota Chapter of the Federal Bar
Association; a leader of the Food, Drug, and Device Law Section of the
Minnesota State Bar Association; and a member of the Board of Directors of the
Twin Cities German Immersion School. She has been recognized as a “Super Lawyer” in Minneapolis since
2018 and was listed as a “Rising Star” from 2013 to 2017. Prior to entering private practice, she clerked
for the Honorable James M. Rosenbaum, then-Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the
District of Minnesota. She earned her JD magna cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School
in 2006, where she was editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Journal of International Law, and her BA magna
cum laude from Rhodes College in 1999.
WILLIAM (BILL) MARLER is an accomplished attorney and national
expert in food safety. He has become the most prominent
foodborne illness lawyer in America and a major force in food policy
in the US and around the world. Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law
Firm, has represented thousands of individuals in claims against
food companies whose contaminated products have caused life
altering injury and even death. Bill began litigating foodborne
illness cases in 1993, when he represented Brianne Kiner, the most
seriously injured survivor of the historic Jack in the Box E. coli
O157:H7 outbreak, in her landmark $15.6 million settlement with
the company. The 2011 book, Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. coli Outbreak that Changed the
Way Americans Eat, by best-selling author Jeff Benedict, chronicles the Jack in the Box outbreak and the
rise of Bill Marler as a food safety attorney.
SHARON LINDAN MAYL has been with FDA for more than 25 years and
currently serves as Senior Advisor for Policy in the Office of Food Policy and
Response. In this position, she oversees and manages significant policy
initiatives in the foods area. Among other issues, Ms. Mayl is the
implementation lead for FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety initiative,
which seeks to develop a new approach to food safety that leverages
technology and other modern tools to create a safer and more digital,
traceable food system. Previously, she co-led the team that developed and
implemented the import provisions of FSMA, including those related to the
Foreign Supplier Verification Program, Voluntary Qualified Import Program,
and Accredited Third-Party Certification Program. Ms. Mayl also serves as the lead for the foods program
on issues related to cannabis. She is a graduate of Cornell University and Harvard Law School.
JENNIFER McENTIRE is Senior Vice President of Food Safety at United Fresh
Produce Association. A food microbiologist by background, she has worked in
the Washington, DC area for 20 years, bringing the scientific perspective to
food safety regulatory issues. She was previously Vice President of Science
Operations at the Grocery Manufacturers Association. She has also had roles
as VP and Chief Science Officer at The Acheson Group and as the Senior Staff
Scientist and Director of Science & Technology Projects at the Institute of Food
Technologists. McEntire earned a PhD from Rutgers University as a USDA
National Needs Fellow in Food Safety and received a Bachelor of Science with
Distinction, magna cum laude, in food science from the University of
Delaware. She serves as an advisory board member of the Global Food Traceability Center, on the
technical committee of the Center for Produce Safety, and was the 2020 recipient of the NSF International
Food Safety Leadership Award.
DANIEL McGEE is an experienced in-house lawyer and keen strategic
business advisor. He navigates murky state and federal regulatory waters
and provides clients with sound and actionable legal advice. Mr. McGee built
and managed in-house legal departments and government affairs programs
as General Counsel for companies in the cannabis, vape and tobacco sectors:
Solari Hemp; Fontem Ventures; Scandinavian Tobacco Group; and Swedish
Match. He is a successful advocate and lobbyist for highly regulated
industries at US local, state, and federal levels and abroad.
JESSICA P. O’CONNELL is a partner in Covington & Burling’s Food and Drug
practice group in Washington, DC. She advises companies and trade
associations on complying with US regulatory requirements enforced by FDA,
USDA, FTC, and state regulators for the manufacture and sale of foods, dietary
supplements, cosmetics, OTC drugs, and animal products, and the import and
export of all FDA and USDA-regulated products. Before joining Covington, she
was an Associate Chief Counsel in FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel. While at FDA,
Jessica counseled various components of FDA and HHS on legal issues
primarily related to cosmetics, foods, and dietary supplements. Jessica
received a bachelor’s degree in biology and physics from the University of
Virginia, an MPH from Johns Hopkins, and a JD from Georgetown University Law Center.
MEGAN L. OLSEN is Vice President and Assistant General Counsel for
the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) in Washington, DC. At CRN,
she provides legal counsel and advice to CRN’s staff and members in the
areas of legislation, regulatory compliance and advocacy, and
international policy development with respect to dietary supplements
and nutrition issues. Prior to joining CRN, Ms. Olsen was in-house
counsel for Walgreen Co., where she provided legal advice about Food
and Drug Administration, Federal Trade Commission, and other
consumer protection regulatory requirements for a wide variety of
consumer products, including conventional food, dietary supplements,
OTCs, and cosmetics. Ms. Olsen began her career at Kelley Drye and Warren LLP working on a variety of
consumer protection, regulatory, and advertising law issues.
EVANGELIA PELONIS is a partner at Keller & Heckman LLP where she
assists clients on US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US
Department of Agriculture (USDA) matters relating to human food,
animal feed, food additives and ingredients, and dietary supplements.
She helps clients achieve their marketing goals within the relevant legal
frameworks and counsels them in all aspects of food development and
marketing, from product formulation and manufacturing
considerations to food labeling and advertising. Eve helps her clients
with issues regarding food labeling and promotional materials, product
identity statements, ingredient declarations, nutrient content claims,
structure function claims, health claims, and allergen, nutrition, bioengineered and organic labeling.
Clients seek her advice regarding obtaining appropriate regulatory status for food ingredients including
preparing self-determined Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) positions or submitting GRAS Notices,
New Dietary Ingredient Notifications (NDINs), food additive petitions (FAPs) or color additive petitions
(CAPs) to FDA. Eve guides clients through product recalls and reports to the Reportable Food Registry. She
helps clients navigate complex import and export issues regulated by FDA and USDA and assists companies
in gaining the release of detained products. She regularly presents on food law matters for various trade
associations and food conferences including Keller and Heckman’s Practical Food Law Seminar.
JUDITH M. PRAITIS is a partner at Faegre Drinker where she counsels
clients on environmental transactional issues and on air, water and
waste management permitting, compliance, release reporting and
enforcement issues under California and federal law. With decades of
experience in environmental law, Judith is a trusted source of legal and
business guidance for clients working to develop and implement
environmental management systems, audit compliance protocols, and
anticipate and adapt to emerging regulatory environments. Judith has
experience managing complex environmental matters for distressed
entities, or those with material legacy environmental liabilities, to
orchestrate a controlled resolution of such obligations. She is particularly adept at crafting novel
settlements with governmental regulators and prosecutors. Judith advises clients on compliance with and,
if necessary, litigation of, Proposition 65 matters, particularly those involving the food and supplement
industries and other consumer products. She assists clients with compliance under many of California’s
product- and chemical-specific regulatory regimes, including the Green Chemistry Initiative.
ANITA ROACH is Vice President of Health Innovation Strategies &
Corporate Ventures at Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE). She
has nine years of experience in developing and managing patient-
centered research and programs. In her previous roles at the National
Sleep Foundation and Lupus Foundation of America, she partnered with
patients to identify outcomes that mattered most and to develop data-
driven solutions. Anita is skilled at communicating complex and
technical information to patient and professional communities and has
several publications in the Journal of Arthritis & Rheumatology and
Sleep Health. She has a master’s degree from Georgetown University in
Biochemistry.
LARISA RUDENKO holds a Research Affiliate position in the Program on
Emerging Technologies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
and she is the Co-Founder of BioPolicy Solutions LLC, a boutique
consultancy providing regulatory and due diligence assistance to the
private and public sectors. In her academic work, Dr. Rudenko studies
emerging biotechnologies to characterize the different components of
distributed governance throughout the life cycle of these products and
technologies from the active and tacit involvements and motivations of
groups and the forces they exert to the impacts those polities have on
the success (or lack thereof) of these products and the bioeconomy of
the United States. She serves on US and international public sector
advisory boards; US and international grant review committees
involved in policy directions for emerging biotechnologies; and as a
peer-reviewer for publications involved in public health. At BioPolicy
Solutions, she works with the private (start-ups through established food and biomedical companies) and
public sectors to develop strategies for cost-effective product development using emerging
biotechnologies. Dr. Rudenko previously worked at the US FDA developing a successful science-based
regulatory strategy for products of genetic engineering, genome editing, and gene therapy; developing a
new interdisciplinary team to oversee several first-in-kind regulatory approvals; and working with agency
attorneys and interagency groups to develop US policy. She represented the US government in
international venues from consensus documents on safety to trade policies.
ALLEN SAYLER is the Senior Director for Food Consulting Services at EAS
Consulting Group LLC., part of the Certified Laboratory family of companies.
EAS is headquarter in the Alexandria, Virginia (across the Potomac from
Washington, DC). His food-based career spans thirty-eight years, sixteen
years as a state, FDA, and USDA food regulator, with the last twenty-two
years as a food processing industry regulatory advisor, specializing in
evaluation, assessments and the trouble shooting of food plant processing
operations and their food safety and quality programs, having attained ISO
22000, BRC auditor certifications. He is an FDA-recognized “Lead
Instructor” for the US FDA FSMA regulations on Preventive Controls for
Human Foods (PCHF) and the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP)
and is familiar with the SQF, BRC, IFS, FSSC22000 and various ISO food safety standards. At EAS, he leads
the food consulting services provided by almost 170 Independent Consultants, each with 20 or more years
of experience in their area of expertise. Mr. Sayler has been active in the International Dairy Federation
(IDF) since 1996 and has served in various leadership roles, including being elected to the IDF Scientific
Program Coordination Committee (SPCC) in October. He has a working knowledge of USDA, FDA, EPA, and
US Customs & Border Protection requirements as they apply to foods imported into the US. He received
Group Excellence Awards from both the US FDA and the US Department of Agriculture, the Harold Barnum
and the Lifetime Membership Award from IAFP and the IDF Leadership and Prize of Excellence Award
from IDF in 2020.
JACK WENIK is a Member of Epstein Becker & Green in the Health Care and Life
Sciences and Litigation practices and serves on the firm’s National Health Care
and Life Sciences Steering Committee. He is a graduate of Yale Law School and
previously served as an Assistant US Attorney in the Eastern District of New York
and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Mr. Wenik represents dietary
supplement companies in FTC and FDA litigation and proceedings. He also
represents numerous healthcare clients in various regulatory compliance
matters and litigation, including state and federal investigations.
First Name Last Name Job Title Company Name City and State
Claudia Ahiabor General Attorney FDA - OC Silver Spring, MD
Cheryl Alesso Vice President, Business Development RQA, Inc. Mahwah, NJ
Steven Armstrong* Senior Regulatory Advisor Haynes and Boone LLP Washington, DC
Morgan Barg Director, Global Regulatory Affairs Mannatech, Inc. Dallas, TX
April Bartosch Supervisory Regulatory Specialist
FDAImports.com, LLC/ Benjamin L. England
& Associates LLC Fredericksburg, VA
Laurie Beyranevand Professor of Law and Director Vermont Law School South Royalton, VT
Laura Braden Regulatory Counsel The Good Food Institute Washington, DC
Mari Beth Cansanay Senior Associate, Regulatory Affairs Mannatech, Inc. Coppell, TX
Coleen Carney Manager, Meetings Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) Washington, DC
Iris Case Student Johns Hopkins University Clarksville, MD
Seda Celik Senior Associate, Regulatory Affairs The Hain Celestial Group Lake Success, NY
Jacqueline Chan* Partner Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker, LLP Washington, DC
Katherine Collins Regulatory Counsel FDA - CVM Rockville, MD
Tara Lin Couch
Senior Director of Dietary Supplement and
Tobacco Services EAS Consulting Group Woodland Park, CO
Walery Desmond Regulatory Liaison, Global Consumer Safety Michigan State University Pasadena, CA
Sam Dietle Senior Associate Hogan Lovells US LLP Washington, DC
Andrew Do Associate Covington & Burling LLP Silver Spring, MD
Jason Downey Staff Fellow FDA - CFSAN College Park, MD
Robert Durkin Of Counsel Arnall Golden Gregory LLP Washington, DC
Daniel Dwyer Partner Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker, LLP Washington, DC
Elizabeth Fawell* Partner Hogan Lovells US LLP Washington, DC
Andrea Ferrenz* Food Law Counsel Campbell Soup Company Camden, NJ
Neal Fortin* Professor and Director Michigan State University Okemos, MI
Eileen Francis Reporter Informa PLC Rockville, MD
Vasilios (Bill) Frankos
Senior Vice President, Product Compliance
and Safety Herbalife International of America Inc Torrance, CA
Tess Garraty Manager, Member Engagement Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) Washington, DC
Madeleine Giaquinto
Manager of Regulatory Affairs at Greenleaf
Health Greenleaf Health, Inc. Washington, DC
Anastasia Gilmartin Director of Regulatory Compliance, Counsel Bodybuilding.com Seattle, WA
Kat Giordano Student Stanford University Palo Alto, CA
Rebecca Goldberg Associate Chief Counsel FDA - OC Rockville, MD
Jonathan Havens
Partner | Co-Chair, Cannabis Law | Co-Chair,
Food, Beverage & Agribusiness Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP Baltimore, MD
Susan Hewlings Director of Scientific Affairs
Nutrasource Pharmaceutical & Nutraceutical
Services Cudjoe Key, FL
Bryan Hitchcock
Senior Director, Food Chain and Executive
Director, Global Food Traceability Center Institute of Food Technologists
Mical Honigfort Consumer Safety Officer FDA - CFSAN College Park, MD
Gregory Jaffe Biotechnology Project Director Center for Science in the Public Interest Washington, DC
John Johnson Of Counsel Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP Washington, DC
Karil Kochenderfer Principal LINKAGES Potomac, MD
Laura Kurpad Attorney FDA - OC Silver Spring, MD
Kelly Laudon Of Counsel Jones Day Minneapolis, MN
Christine Lawson Partner Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP Atlanta, GA
Anthony Lee Supervisory Consumer Safety Officer FDA - CFSAN College Park, MD
Steven Leslie Assistant Director, Educational Programs Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) Washington, DC
Jane Licata Partner Licata & Tyrrell P.C. Marlton, NJ
Bill Marler Managing Partner Marler Clark Seattle, WA
Food and Dietary Supplement Safety and Regulation Conference
March 24-25, 2021
Attendee List (current as of 3.23.21)
Sharon Mayl Senior Advisor for Policy FDA - OC Silver Spring, MD
Jennifer McEntire
Senior Vice President, Food Safety and
Technology United Fresh Produce Association Washington, DC
Daniel McGee Former Chief Legal Officer Solari Hemp Longmont, CO
David McPherson Regulatory Affairs The Kroger Company Boca Raton, FL
Molly McTaggart Administrative Coordinator Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) Washington, DC
Heather Messick International Policy Analyst HHS/PHS Food & Drug Administration Silver Spring, MD
Joan Murphy Reporter IHS Health Information Arlington, VA
Louisa Nickerson Attorney FDA - OC Bethesda, MD
Fernanda Nogueira Regulatory Manager Amway Corporation Sao Paulo, Brazil
Gray Norton Student University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR
Jessica O'Connell Partner Covington & Burling LLP Washington, DC
Elizabeth Oestreich VP Regulatory Compliance Greenleaf Health, Inc. Washington, DC
Lynn O'Grady Walgreen Company Northbrook, IL
Janete Oliveira FDA - Administrative Assistant US Department of State Washington, DC
Megan Olsen VP & Associate General Counsel Council for Responsible Nutrition Washington, DC
Caitlion O'Neill Student Loyola University- New Orleans New Orleans, LA
Larisa Pavlick VAP Global Regulatory and Compliance United Natural Products Alliance Salt Lake City, UT
Jonathan Pegg IEG Policy
Evangelia Pelonis Partner Keller and Heckman LLP Washington, DC
Paul Pisano Senior VP and General Counsel National Beer Wholesalers Association Alexandria, VA
Judith Praitis Partner Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Los Angeles, CA
Margarita Raycheva Reporter IEG Policy Arlington, VA
Amy Comstock Rick** President & CEO Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) Washington, DC
Anita Roach
Vice President of Health Innovation
Strategies & Corporate Ventures Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) Arlington, VA
Siarra Rogers Associate Attorney Winston & Strawn LLP Washington, DC
Larisa Rudenko
Research Affiliate, Program of Emerging
Technologies Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cambridge, MA
Allen Sayler Senior Director of Food Consulting Services EAS Consulting Group Alexandria, VA
Cynthia Schnedar**
Executive Vice President, Regulatory
Compliance Greenleaf Health, Inc. Washington, DC
Elizabeth Sharpe Food Safety Manager Red Rabbit, LLC Jersey City, NJ
John Sheehan Food Technologist FDA College Park, MD
Mollie Soloway Student University of Maryland Carey School of Law Baltimore, MD
Ge Song Associate Attorney Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Washington, DC
Baiyun Song Mannatech, Inc. Coppell, TX
Malcolm Spicer Consumer Health Care Products Editor Informa PLC Washington, DC
Suzie Trigg Partner Haynes and Boone LLP Dallas, TX
Laura Tyler Mannatech, Inc. Coppell, TX
Kiana Walker Web Manager Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) Washington, DC
Lynn Walsh Manager-Legal Services Bolthouse Farms Bakersfield, CA
Beth Wang Reporter InSide Washington Publishers Arlington, VA
Matthew Watson Student Pace University School of Law White Plains, NY
Jack Wenik Member Epstein Becker & Green, PC Newark, NJ
Ren White Manager, Publications Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) Washington, DC
Mark Yacura Attorney at Law, Partner Fox Rothschild LLP Washington, DC
Emily Yslas Student University of Wisconsin Madision, WI
Janet Zhang Food Technologist FDA - CFSAN College Park, MD
Daniel Zinn
Manager, Membership & Communications
Analytics Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) Washington, DC
*Member, Conference Planning Committee
**Member, FDLI Board of Directors